Magnetic tack-hammer



(No Model.)

A. R. ROBERTSON.

MAGNETIC TACK HAMMER.

No. 352,070. Patented Nov. 2, 18-86..

N. PETERS, FholO-Lilhngrzphcr, Walllingtun. D.c.

UNITED STATES PATENT" OFFICE.

ARTHUR It. ROBERTSON, OF SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS.

MAGNETIC TACK-HAMMER.

GPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 352,070, dated November 2, 1886.

Application filed May 2-2, 1856. Serial No. 202,958. (No model.)

Io hammers-that is, that class of hammers having heads charged with magnetism for the purpose of attracting nails or tacks to the peen thereof and holding the same by the head in posit-ion thereon to be set or driven.

My invention has for its object to provide a hammer of greater magnetic power than hammers of that class as heretofore constructed, so that shingle-nails or nails of considerable size can be set thereby, and also so that tacks or small nails can be held with greater security and driven with greater certainty and precision.

To the foregoing ends my invention consists in constructing the head of the hammer in the form of a horseshoe-magnet in such manner that the poles of the magnet will form one of the peens or faces of the hammer, all as hereinafter described, and subsequently set forth in the claims.

Of the drawings hereto annexed and forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a side view of a hammer constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 represents a side view of a hammer-head embodying my invention and provided with a tackdrawing claw on the driving end. Fig. 3 represents a view of a hammer-head similar to that shown in Fig 2, showing a claw of some what different form and construction. Fig. 4

4 represents a modification of the invention,

hereinafter referred to.

The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.

In the drawings, a represents the hammer- 4 5 head, and b the handle.

0 indicates the tack or nail setting peen,and d the driving-peen.

As is shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the head of the hammer is divided from a point between the driving-peen d and the eye for the handle to the setting-peen c. A hammer-head thus constructed, when charged with magnetism,

forms asubstantialhorseshoemagnet, of which the driving end d constitutes the back or new tral end and the peen c the poles. The two parts at the end 0 do not come in contact with each other, but are brought quite close together, so that the slit or bifurcation dividing them does not militate against this face as a means for driving a nail or tack; and although I have termed the end 0 the setting-peenthat is, the peen designed to set or start the nail at the point where it is to be driven-it may be employed for driving as well, though when a broader face is desired for this latter purpose the end d may be used.

My improved hammer-head is designed to be permanently charged with magnetism, and as thus constituted will have sufficient power to attract nails of very large size,so as to hold the heads thereof on the peen cwith sufficient force to permit them to be set with certainty and precision.

I am aware that magnetic hammers have heretofore been constructed; but so far as I am aware such contrivances have been entirely confined to hammers constructed as bar magnets. My invention differs from these in that my hammer-head is formed as a horseshoemagnet, which form, as is well known, is capable of possessing much greater magnetic power than a bar-magnet, and hence I am able to hold and control tacks or nails with greater certainty, as also nails of greater size and weight, than has been possible with magnetic hammers as heretofore constructed, or constructed as bar-magnets.

A tack or nail held bythe head upon the peen 0 may be driven home with a single blow,or be first set with alight blow or tap and afterward driven to place, or it may be set with the poem 0 and driven with the head d. This latter mode of procedure is usually preferred with shingle-nails and nails of larger size and weight. In some instances I form a claw on the driving end,and construct this feature to meet the wants of particular cases, Figs. 2 and 3 showing heads provided with claws of slightly different forms.

In Fig. 4. I have shown a hammer-head constructed as a compound horseshoe-magnetthat is, a magnet composed of two or more magnets secured together. This form of magnet is more powerful than the single horse- IOC shoe-magnet, though for ordinary purposes I have found the solid simple horseshoe-magnet to have sufficient power. When constructed as a compound 1nagnet,it may be preferable to 5 form the eye for the handle in the neutral point or end above the connecting-point of the two arms constituting the poles.

The hammer may be constructed of any size and shape so long as the horseshoe character [0 thereof is preserved, it being desirable in all cases to have the arms of the magnet as long as is consistent with strength and convenience, as a bow having long arms is capable of being made a stronger magnet than a bow with short- 15 er arms.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. A magnetized hammer-head having its body divided or bifnrcatedto constitute a sub- 20 stantial horseshoe-magnet, as set forth.

2. A magnetized hammer-head having its body divided or bifurcated for the greater portion of its length to constitute a substantial horseshoe-magnet in which the poles form one poem and the back or neutral end the other 25 ARTHUR R. ROBERTSON.

\Vi t nesses ARTHUR W. CRossLEY, A. D. HARRISON. 

